1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a stabilizer pad for use with earthmoving apparatus. More particularly, the present invention is concerned with a stabilizer pad that is reversible so that it may be usable on either, for example, concrete or a more yielding surface such as dirt or gravel. Even more particularly the present invention relates to a reversible stabilizer pad of improved construction as to its stability when in use and its adaptability to different terrain conditions.
2. Background Discussion
Reference is now made herein to U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,897,079 and 3,913,942 both relating to stabilizer pads for earthmoving apparatus. These prior art patents, in which I am a co-inventor, illustrates a reversible stabilizer pad having a generally flanged surface for engagement with gravel, for example, and a somewhat resilient surface for engagement with concrete or asphalt, for example. U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,079, for example describes the use of rubber pads or stops 38 on one side of the stabilizer member such as illustrated in FIG. 2 of this patent.
In the past these pads have been constructed of a molded rubber and although operation therewith has been satisfactory, for some applications the service life of the molded pad is too short particularly when these pads are used on larger machines. The molded rubber pad can be destroyed particularly if the surface upon which the pad is used is somewhat abrasive. It was common for a small tear to develop in the molded rubber pad and after use thereof the pad might come apart in chunks. In this connection, my copending application Ser. No. 06/870,099 filed June 3, 1986 describes an improved reversible stabilizer pad for use with earthmoving apparatus and one that in particular employs a laminated pad.
In these prior stabilizer pad constructions, such as the one described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,079, the stabilizer pad generally includes a flat plate having triangular flanges extending from one surface thereof with each flange basically providing single point contact at a grouser point with the earth. With such an arrangement earth simply diverges away from the single initial contact point, thus providing one grouser embedded in the terrain. In this arrangement there has tended to be a rocking motion associated with the pad. Further there is also a tendency for the pad to self-flip. The tendency for the pad to self-flip is particularly evident when the earthmoving machine pad support arm be lifted. The self-flipping of the pad can be remedied with the use of a securing or engagement pin or bolt that is required to be secured in each position of the pad and to be disassembled and re-secured when the position of the pad is to be changed. This becomes time consuming and furthermore may involve parts that are easily lost. The operator may also simply not bother to use the securing pin or bolt.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved reversible stabilizer pad for use with earthmoving apparatus and in which the pad has an improved ground-engaging flange means providing at least two point contact at two grouser points per flange for providing improved pad stability when used with a yielding surface such as dirt or gravel.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved reversible stabilizer pad for use with earthmoving apparatus and which is provided with an automatically operable securing latch that prevents pad self-flipping.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an improved reversible stabilizer pad for use with earthmoving apparatus and in which the pad construction is adapted to provide greater pad stability without any substantial rocking of the pad.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an improved reversible stabilizer pad for use with earthmoving apparatus and in which there is, in particular, provided an improved pad and support adapter plate that enables ready resilient pad replacement.